This invention relates to a breakaway hose coupling for fuel dispensers and, more particularly, to such a coupling for releasably coupling a conduit at a fuel dispensing unit to a hose connected to a nozzle for dispensing the fuel.
Service stations having one or more gasoline dispensing units have long had a problem with vehicles pulling away from the dispensing unit with the dispensing nozzle still inserted in the vehicle's tank, or with the nozzle or dispensing hose otherwise secured or hung on the vehicle. Such incidents usually result in damage to the dispensing unit and/or breakage of the dispensing hose, and repairing the resulting damage to the dispensing pump or hose can be very costly. Further, the fuel spillage which can result from such damage can create hazardous conditions.
These problems are compounded in connection with service stations which also include a system for recovering vapor in the vehicle tanks when the gasoline is dispensed into the tank. Although breakaway couplings have been designed for these type of gasoline dispensing and vapor recovery systems that provide for flow-through fluid communication of both fuel and recovered fuel vapor (such as the coupling disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,262) they are less than satisfactory. For example, these type of couplings are relatively heavy, bulky and expensive and often impede the flow of the fuel and/or vapor to and from the dispensing unit.
Therefore, what is needed is a breakaway coupling of the above type which disengages and terminates the flow of fuel and vapor from a gasoline dispensing unit in response to disengaging force in excess of a predetermined value being exerted on the coupling, yet is light, compact and inexpensive and does not impede the flow of fuel or vapor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the breakaway hose coupling of the present invention includes a removable housing detachably connected to a fixed housing. A sealing member in the fixed housing is urged towards a seat in the fixed housing to prevent fluid flow through the fixed housing, and a member in the second housing is urged into engagement with the sealing member in the first housing to urge the latter sealing member away from the seat. The connection between the housings is released in response to a predetermined force acting on the second housing and the member in the second housing disengages from the sealing member in the first housing . As a result, the sealing member in the first housing is urged against the seat to prevent fluid flow through the fixed housing.
The coupling of the present invention enjoys the advantage of disengaging and terminating the flow of fluid and vapor from a gasoline dispensing device in response to disengaging force in excess of a predetermined value being exerted on the coupling. The coupling of the present invention is also light, compact and inexpensive to manufacture and maintain, and does not impede flow of the fuel or vapor.